A Fae Tale
by mandybob
Summary: AU. Naill introduces himself to Sookie two weeks before Bill moves to Bon Temp. How Sookie's life would have been if the Fae found her first. Has S/O, but eventually S/E. Rated M for later chapters. Harris owns all.
1. Chapter 1

AU. This is my first, so be gentle.

Naill introduces himself to Sookie two weeks before Bill moves to Bon Temp. How will her life change? What does Naill really want and what will he do to get it? Rated M for later chapters.

This story begins two weeks before Sookie meets Bill.

Ch 1.

Sookie's PoV

I could smell apple pie as I opened the door to the hall. _Gran is conspiring against me. I'll never fit into that dress at this rate. _Ah. That dress. I had splurged on an absolutely adorable dress when I was at Dillard's last week. It was white with little red flowers on it. It went about midthigh and hugged me in all the right places without looking slutty. I had bought it in an eight knowing good and well that I should really get a ten. I told myself that I would lay off the bacon, and the sweet tea, and the homemade bread, and the pie… _Oh, hell. I need to go to the mall today anyway. I'll trade it in for a ten. _I thought to myself with a loud sigh. It wasn't really Gran's fault. I mean she didn't force me to eat the pie (and bacon and bread), but the woman cooked all the time and it is just the two of us. When Jason lived here it was different. He could take down some food and Hoyt and his other buddies were always over for dinner, so making three pies a week was completely reasonable. Now that Jason lived in Mom and Dad's house and it was just Gran and I, my hips had suffered the price. I mean you can't let good pie go to waste, right?

I walked into the kitchen as Gran was pulling the pie off the cooling rake. My mouth began to water. I noticed the paint on the door frame was peeling slightly. I loved this house, after all it was my family's ancestral home, but it was an awful lot of work. I idly pulled at the paint chips for a second before seating myself at the kitchen table. It wobbled slight. _Damn uneven floor. _ Without a word, Gran cut a piece of pie, put it on plate, then walked over to the fridge and took out the vanilla ice cream.

"One scoop or two, dear?" She smiled, her white/grey hair fell slightly over her eyes.

I sighed. "Two." _Yep, definitely need to exchange that dress. _

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I had already found the dress in a ten and was standing in line at the customer service counter. I looked at my watch. 3:37. I was suddenly very glad I had changed into my summer work uniform before I left the house. I mean, I did look a little silly walking around the mall in a barmaid's uniform, but there was no way I was going to get home to change before I had the start the evening shift. Not that Sam would be too upset if I was late. As far as boss' go, I couldn't ask for a better one. He was laid back and friendly, if not somewhat aloof about himself. Not to mention the fact that he's gorgeous, with his red-blonde hair and muscled frame. Not overly built, but definitely not something to scoff at either. He was different with me than most people, sometimes when I talked to him, it felt like he wanted to tell me something. Like he had a secret that he wanted me to find out, but never wanted to say. It was almost like he _wanted_ me to read his mind and out him. I could never do that to Sam. I tried to keep out of people's heads as much as possible. I knew enough gossip and deep dark secrets to last a life time. The last thing I wanted was to screw up my job and friendship with Sam. I mean I had had a lot of jobs, but my telepathy never seemed to bother Sam. In fact, sometimes when we were alone in his office, he would give me that look. The look like he _wanted_ me to read him and then would just look at me expectantly waiting for me to say something .

I was having this line of thought when I absently stepped up to the service counter. I looked up to the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. And when I say up, I mean up. She was at least six foot tall with long flowing dark brown hair. She was wearing a form fitting white blouse and simple black slacks, but she made it look like it belonged on a runway. Over her left breast was a nametag identifying her as _Claudine_ . She was still looking down at her computer screen.

With a dazzling smile, she looked up and said "How may I help you today?" As soon as her eyes met mine her smile faltered and brow furrowed. "You…" Within a second, the smile was back on her face again, but it no longer reached her eyes. I immediately dropped my shield, but her thoughts were opaque (word of the day, June 5th). I had never encountered a mind like this. Weird. I gave her a wry look and I felt my nervous smile slip across my face.

"Sorry. How may I help you?" She was eyeing me speculatively.

"I need to exchange this dress for a different size." I said as I placed both dresses on the counter and handed her my receipt.

"Of course, Miss..?" She questioned as she took the receipt and began typing on her keyboard. She kept glancing at me through her lashes.

"Stackhouse. Sookie Stackhouse." She let out a little gasped. I felt my crazy smile widen.

She continued to type as she eyed me taking in my uniform. "So you work at Merlotte's? That's in Bon Temp, right?"

"Yeah. It's a nice little place." She didn't seem dangerous, just really surprised and excited (?).

"I'll have to stop by sometime. Here's your new receipt." She handed me the slip of paper, but as I began to pull my hand away she grasped it tightly. She looked into my eyes like she was searching for something. Apparently she found it, because the genuine smiled spread across her face again. It was beautiful. Tears began to well in her eyes and with no small amount of emotion she said "It's so nice to meet you."

"You, too." Though, I wasn't really sure why, deep down I knew I really meant it. I smiled back and turned to walk out to my car. _That was weird. _

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Claudine's PoV

As she walked away I couldn't hold back the tears of joy anymore. I excused myself from the counter and walked out the employee entrance to stand outside. I knew who she was as soon as I saw her. I knew she had the spark when I touched her hand. I had absolutely no doubt. It was her, my cousin, and she could help us. We had been searching for her for years and finally we had found her. We had a rough idea of where she had been hidden. Northern Louisiana, maybe Renard Parish, but the shielding magic had been so strong we couldn't penetrate it. That's when my grandfather decided Claude and I needed to move here. We could not seek her out, but if we stumbled upon her we would know. That's why we decided on such public jobs. Not that I minded working retail and Claude definitely did NOT mind all the attention striping gave him, but we knew if we were patient eventually we would make contact. Once we found her and could identify her essence the shields would no longer hide her. We would be able to find her anywhere. It had taken six years. Six years from when we discovered she didn't die in the flood with her parents and that her Grandmother had hidden her. Not that we had seen her before then. Our laws forbid us from contacting part fae until they reached the age of reason (in human years it was around 18). Out world could be overwhelming enough and if they had the spark it would become unbound as soon as a full fae touched them. I frowned. _Shit. I touched her. She's unbound. _I needed to do this quick. I pulled out my phone and dialed my great grandfather's number. The tears were flowing freely now.

"Hello." His rich voice spoke. _He must be in this realm, _I thought. He never answered when he was in the fairy realm.

I took a deep breath to steady my voice. "Naill, I found her." I heard a small gasp at the other end of the line.

"Does she have it? Does she have the spark?" He had more excitement in his voice at that moment than I had heard in over two hundred years. I smiled again as I leaned against the brick wall.

"Yes." I breathed.

"I'm on my way."

Before I even shut the phone, I heard a pop and my great grandfather was standing in front of me. He looked as lovely as always. His long hair hung around his face and he wore an immaculate cream and charcoal suit perfectly tailored to fit his form. He embraced me in a short hug and then pulled back still holding my shoulders in his hands. "Where can I find her?" His eyes were dancing with excitement.

"Bon Temp. Merlotte's. It's a bar off the highway just outside of town. " He leaned over and kissed my forehead.

"Thank you child. I must see her for myself. I must make sure she is pure enough. You know what this could mean. What it could mean for _our line_?" His face was excited, but distant. As I looked at him and thought of his words I became suddenly wary.

"Grandfather, she is our family. It's her choice to help. You would never…" I asked hesitantly. He released my arms and looked at me.

"Of course it will be her choice." He waved his hand in dismissal. "I must go. I must set things in motion. Once she has been unbound, we must…"

I sighed. "I touched her." I said tentatively and looked down at my shoes. His expression faltered for a second.

"That was…unwise, dear one. We do not know what power she may possess." He looked pensively at his hands for a few moments and then turned his face to me a smiled. "No matter. I will be with her soon. Good bye granddaughter." And with another pop he was gone. I stared at the spot where he had stood and thought about his words. The tears began to flow again. She may be able to help us, but at what cost to her?

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	2. Chapter 2

Ch 2.

Sookie's PoV

My nose crinkled as I neared the perfume counter. _Why does that smell so much stronger than normal? _I wondered_. _How anyone could stand to work in that overpowering stench was beyond me. I guess eventually they would habituate (Word of the Day, March 21st) to it, but surely they must go home smelling like a French whore every night. As I walked through the make-up section, I began to feel a dull burning sensation at the tips of my fingers and toes. I mindless rubbed my fingers on my palms, but the sensation seemed to spread with the contact. _That's odd. _I looked at my watch. 4:06. If I high-tailed it, I could still make it to work on time. I walked out the double doors into the afternoon sun. The light was so bright I was blinded and stumbled back against the doors. I instantly closed my eyes, but white and red flicks continued to dance across the back of my eyelids. I tentatively opened my eyes again. _What the hell?_ The lot looked that same as it had when I went in to the mall two hours ago, but then again it looked completely different. Brighter, more colorful, more defined. I looked out at my crappy car, which was a good twenty parking spots away and immediately noticed that it had a small black ding where someone had hit it with the door of their car. It couldn't be any larger than an eraser, but I could see it clear as day….from half-way across the parking lot? I heard a bee buzzing and followed the noise with my eyes to see the bee land on a flowering bush about fifteen yards away. I could smell the bougainvilleas as if I was holding them. A bee. From fifteen yards away. I stood there dumfounded for a few moments. _What. The. Hell._?

I shook my head and tried to compose myself. The burning sensation had spread from my hands and feet and now was working its way up my forearms and calves. It was almost like having an extreme case of pins and needles. I gathered my bags, which had fallen to the ground when I stumbled, and made my way across the lot being careful to watch my feet as I went. I looked around as I reached my car door and casually noted that there were 71 cars, 3 motorcycles, and two bikes parked in the lot. There were also twelve people, although, two of them did not quite smell right. Their scent was woodsy and musky. The scent made the hairs on the back of my head stand up slightly. _Don't smell right?! What's wrong with me? _

I took a deep breath, unlocked my car door, and settled in gently leaning my head against the wheel. The burning sensation was spreading. It had crept up my arms and legs and was now igniting every nerve ending in my body. Slowly, ever so slowly, I felt the tingling engulf my heart and brain. My mind sputtered for a second and then went blank. I sat there in silence for a long time before reality came back to me. The tingling had subsided, but a soft feeling of warmth remained in my muscles. Kind of like how you feel after a workout or really good sex (so I'm told). I looked at my watch. 4:46. _Shit, shit shit. There's no way I'm going to get to work in time._ I closed my eyes and lowered my head to the wheel again with a sighed. _I need to get to Merlotte's like NOW. _ Then, out of nowhere, I heard a loud pop and felt wind rushing around my head. It sounded like being stuck in a tunnel underwater. I opened my eyes but everything was dark and misty, then I heard another resounding pop. With a slight thud my butt hit the gravel of a parking lot. I lifted my head. My car was gone. No, I was gone. I quickly tried to orient myself to my surroundings. I was sitting (literally) in the middle of the employee's parking lot at Melotte's with my bag in one hand and my car keys in the other. Absently, I noted that Sam's trailer was slightly more yellow than cream and that his hedge needed trimmed. _What. The. FUCK!!! _I'm not one to drop the F-bomb often but really if there was a time and a place this most certainly was it.

I stood and wiped off my behind, but continued to stare at the spot where I had literally popped in. At that moment Sam walked out of the bar's back door with a bag of trash to toss in the dumpster. "Hey Cher. You're early, that's great." From my peripheral vision I vaguely saw him toss the rubbish in the bin and walk toward me. "The dinner crowd is already in full swing. It seems like half the town ducked out of work early. You'll be taking over for Dawn tonight and Holly called to tell me she'd be late. You know how that goes and…Sook? Sookie, are you alright?" It was about this time that I finally registered that not only was Sam in front of me but that he was speaking. He grabbed my shoulders and shook my slightly. I broke my gaze away from the spot on the ground and looked at Sam. Another part of my brain noted that he also didn't quite smell right, like pine trees and dogs?

"Sam what time is it? How did I get here? And why do you smell like pine trees and dog?" I asked slightly confused and more than a little disoriented. Apparently my brain-to-mouth filter was not functioning. _Did I just ask my boss why he smelled like a dog?_ In my confused state, my shield was none existent, so I could clearly 'hear' Sam. This troubled me for two reasons. One, in the past when I 'heard' Sam it was never sentences, but more emotional states and ambience even when we were touching. He wasn't a very clear broadcaster. I guess that was one of the reasons I liked Sam so much. It was hard to 'eavesdrop' on his mind even when I wanted. Not that I did it often. Like I said, I tried to stay out of people's minds as much as possible, especially my boss', but I digress. Second, and more importantly, as soon as I said he smelled like pine and dogs I saw a series of images of (a very naked) Sam turning into a Collie and running through the woods. _WHAT THE FUCK!!!_

"_WHAT THE FUCK!!" _ Apparently that filter still wasn't working. I pushed his arms away and looked into his eyes.

"Calm down, Sookie..What happ..." He was trying really hard to sound soothing, but the concern in his voice was clear.

"Why were you naked running through the forest? And how the _FUCK_ did you turn into a dog?" I practically screamed at him. He looked completely taken aback and guilty(?). Under regular circumstances the look on his face would have been funny. In the current situation, it just made me more confused. Why would he feel guilty?

Several emotions flitted across his face (and his mind)…anger, fright, confusion, anxiety, and finally resignation and determination. He pulled me into his arms and crushed me against his (very defined and rock hard) chest and let out a sigh. "Of all the times, I've tried to get you to read my mind, you had to do it right now?" He muttered, more to himself than to me. Slowly he looked around the parking lot, and then turned his eyes back to me. "I'm a shape-shifter." He whispered. There was a moment of silence as I processed that. _ Sam's a shape-shifter. Like can change into things, shape-shifter. Like Odo on DS9 (Yeah, I know, Gran loves that show. She has a thing for Quark). Okay, could be worse. He could a communist or be sympathetic to the northern aggression. _

"What do you mean a shape-shifter?" I asked cautiously being very careful to meet his eyes. I could tell he was anxious and slightly embarrassed and I wanted him to know I wasn't judging, just curious.

"I can turn into animals and on the full moon I have to shift." I quirked an eyebrow at him. "It's… uncomfortable not too." He elaborated shifting his weight slightly. The image in his head let me see exactly how uncomfortable it was. I saw a much younger Sam sitting in a movie theater sweating and coughing next to a girl who looked very concerned. Next, I saw teenage Sam stand up and bolt out the exit door of the theater as his cloths tore into shreds. Needless to say the girl he had previously been sitting next to looked even more concerned. I was dumbfounded. _Okay. Shape-shifter. Right. I'm a telepath who am I to judge. Hell, there's vampires, why not shape-shifters?_

I was still crushed into his chest so I tentatively put my arms around his waist. He let out a deep breath and relaxed. "I've wanted to tell you that for so long. I thought if anyone could understand it would be you." I wasn't quite sure how to take that. I decided to go with compliment.

"Are there others?" I asked his chest. He leaned down and kissed my hair.

"Yes. I can explain it to you another time, but for right now," he relaxed his grip on me and looked down at my face, his eyes were full of concern, "what happened to you? Where's your car?"

_What did happen to me? _I thought as I slowly came back to what had occurred a few moments before.

"I..I don't know exactly. My body felt funny and I was sitting in my car at the mall in Monroe and then I thought I was going to be late for work and then pop. Here I was sitting in the parking lot. That sounds crazy even to me. I think my car is still in Monroe." He stared at me for a full minute. I did my best to keep my shield up, which was surprisingly easy given my current state of duress.

"I'm not sure what to make of that, Cher. Let's go into my office." He released me, but kept my hand. I couldn't help but notice how good the heat and weight felt against mine. I blushed a little. Hey, I'm a red-blooded women and being a telepath makes the dating front a bit awkward. Knowing your significant other's every thought is distracting and sometimes just downright insulting. Ever since the winter formal when Daris West couldn't stop thinking how much I looked like Jason, my brother, and how much of a turn on that was (_Eww) _dating has been problematic. If I was being honest with myself it was problematic before that, but I denied it up until then.

Arlene stuck her head out the door just as Sam reached out to open it. "It's about time you two. We're dying in here. Sookie, Dawn already left. She had section three. Holly said her sitter can't come at all and she is trying to find someone else." She paused momentarily and her gaze stopped on our connected hands. "Why are you and Sam holding hands?" I pulled my hand away immediately, and carefully started inspecting my shoes. I noticed Sam's hand lingered for a moment like he was reluctant to pull away before it fell to his side.

There was a long awkward silence as the three of stood there in the doorway. I felt my nervous smile creeping across my face. " 'kay. Right then. Umm…I'll get to my tables. Thanks, Sam." I went to move past him, but he gently caught my wrist.

"Sookie, are you sure you're alright? I'm not sure what happened, but obviously something…" I cut him off before he could finish.

"I'm fine Sam. Just a bit disoriented. We'll talk about it later." I pleaded. I pulled my wrist away and flashed what I hoped was a reassuring smile. I'm pretty sure it came across as a crazier looking version of my nervous smile.

"Alright, Cher. Alright, but if you need to talk or a break let me know." He gave me a dubious (Word of the Day, January 29th) look. I walked past Arlene, who had been taking this whole scene in with more interest than was really appropriate, towards the office to put up my purse. Arlene was thinking that Sam and I would be a good pair, even if I was a little crazy. She was also wondering what Sam would be like in bed and if he was… I shot my shield up as fast as I could. Arlene was a loud broadcaster. As I walked by I noted that she had lost about two pounds since I last saw her and that her hair had grown about an eighth of an inch. _Really?! Why do I know that?_

Sam wasn't exaggerating when he said half the town was in the Merlotte's. Every table, booth, and stool was full. People were standing three thick at the bar waiting for drinks. I was so busy bussing baskets and drinks that I didn't have time to think about my unusual afternoon. I hardly even noticed the 'voices' of those around me. My shields were thicker and stronger than usual and they seemed to take much less concentration to keep up. It felt like I was moving quicker and more gracefully than normal as well. Even the trays felt lighter, though I'm not sure why.

About half past seven a very distinguished elderly gentleman came into the bar and sat in Arlene's section. He definitely wasn't a local with his long grey hair and perfectly tailored grey and cream suit. I was pretty sure that suit cost more than I made in a month…maybe two. He smiled at me gentility and bowed his head slightly as I walked by to bring a pitcher to Rene and Hoyt who were sitting a few tables down. I was struck by how handsome he was despite his obvious age. It was almost other worldly. In a way he sort of reminded me of Claudine, the woman at the Dillard's service counter I met earlier. I didn't have much time to think about that because about that time Jason came into the bar with Dawn on his arm. He had been seeing her off and on for a while and she was okay. I guess. He walked up and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek as she walked over to Sam at the bar. Ladies liked a man that was nice to his family and Jason liked ladies. Hence why I got a hug and kiss whenever we saw each other in public.

"Hey, sis. How ya doing? How's Gran?" He said with that sweet lazy smile of his. Jason was a charmingly egotistical bastard. I knew this. Every woman between the ages of 18 and 40 in Renard Parish knew this. It didn't make him any less charming or sought after and it sure as hell didn't make me and Gran dote over him any less. Damn.

"I'm fine and Gran misses you. You should stop by the house sometime. Hey, can you give me a ride over to Monroe after my shift? I left my car at the mall." He quirked an eyebrow at me, but didn't ask.

"No can do, sis. I have a very lovely evening planned with a very lovely lady. We were just stopping in because Dawn forgot to pick up her check." He said as he snaked his arms around Dawn's waist as she stepped toward us. He pulled the girl closer before starting to nibble on her neck. She giggled. Actually giggled. I sighed.

"Fine. I'll have Gran drive me up there in the morning, but you should come for dinner tomorrow" He nodded with a smile and sauntered toward the door with Dawn all but wrapped around his waist. Every woman in the bar stopped to watch. _Ah, Jason._ I shook my head.

About half an hour later things started to slow down a bit and I nodded to Sam to let him know I was going to take my break. I noticed the elderly gentleman was gone and from the smile on Arlene's face he was a generous tipper. I headed out the back and sank down onto the old wooden porch swing next to the employee lot that Sam had hung up for the waitress the summer before last. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and let down my shield. It was quiet and the sun was just starting to set over the cypress trees. I absorbed the calm from the scenes around me. I don't me the scene around me made me calm. I mean I could feel myself literally absorbing the calmness around me. It was like taking in a deep breath and being filled with peace. It was a strange sensation.

"You'll get used to it after at time." Said a deep rich voice that was so smooth it almost sounded like velvet. "After I while, I'm told, you will not even feel the life force enter. It just becomes a natural part of breathing." The voice said this as if he were discussing the weather. Relaxed, simple. I slowly opened my eyes to see the elderly man standing at a respectful distance.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." I said quietly gently kicking the gravel as I pushed the swing back and forth.

"You've had an unusual day and we have much to discuss. May I sit with you?" He smiled and motioned to the swing with his hand. I nodded my compliance. I should have been nervous or scared even. For pete's sake the man was just talking about breathing in life force. But I wasn't. I kept looking at my shoes as I felt the swing shift from the additional weight.

"The spark burns much brighter than I anticipated." He said almost to himself as I felt him inspecting me. Then to me he added. "I was not expecting you to be able to teleport for some time, if ever. Normally, we would not have allowed you to make your first trip alone. It can be quiet disorienting. I am afraid you will have to blame Claudine for that, though it was not her intent to unbind your magic. She sometimes gets a little emotional." He said with an indulgent smile. I had no idea what he was talking about but I was getting the impression that this man, a total stranger, knew what was happening to me. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

"I have to get back to work now." I said as I rose from the swing. He stood as well. He gently reached out and clasped my hand. His skin was smooth and soft, not papery like I imagined it would be.

"We have much to discuss my child. When may I come to you?" He questioned as he gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

Without thinking I answered. "Tomorrow. 9 am at my house." He smiled and nodded thoughtfully. I gently released his hand and turned to walk back in to the bar, but hesitated at the door. "What are you? Wh..who are you?" I asked in no more than a whisper and turned to meet his eyes. I didn't know what he was, but clearly he wasn't human.

He looked at me for a long moment as if deciding something then final sighed. He smiled his wistful smile. "I am a fairy and your grandfather. I will see you in the morning, child." With that he turned and disappeared with a loud pop. _Well that explains a lot. This has been one hell of a day. _I thought sarcastically, _Vampires, telepaths, shifters. Why the hell not fairies too? _I sighed as I stepped back in the hallway. _Maybe tomorrow I can meet a Werewolf. _I thought with a slight smile, as I gently pushed my way past Tray Dawson as I headed back to the bar.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch 3.

Sookie's PoV

At 8:53 am I was showered, dressed, and standing in the hallway outside of the kitchen idly kicking the loose floor board at the base of the door frame. I had been standing there for ten minutes. Gran was frying bacon and had just pulled some homemade biscuits out of the oven. I watched as she used a fork to fish out the bacon and began cracking eggs into the pan which still had all the grease. _Mmm_. I wasn't sure what to tell her. _Morning Gran. Hey, I teleported from the mall in Monroe to Merlotte's yesterday and I need you to drive me to my car. Oh, and I met an old man who claimed to be a fairy and my grandfather last night. You wouldn't know anything about that, would ya? _No, that definitely wouldn't do. I began to take a step forward. It was now or never. "Hey Gran, I need to …" I was interrupted by a firm knock at the front door. Well, apparently Gramps was punctual.

"Sookie, be a dear and go get that." Gran said as she continued to watch the eggs and absently waved her hand toward the front of the house. I sighed deeply as I walked to the front door. Here we go. A smile flashed across the elderly man's face as I pulled open the door. Like yesterday, he was immaculately (Word of the Day: May 8th) dressed in a fine charcoal grey three piece suit complete with pocket watch. He even had on wing-tipped shoes.

"Won't you please come in?" I asked as I stood back and gestured him in with my hand. He nodded politely and stepped into the foyer. I watched as he slowly took in his surroundings before turning back to me and smiling again.

"Child." He said and rather unexpectedly embraced me and then leaned overed and kissed me on the forehead in a rather endearing and affection way. I found myself secretly hoping that maybe this well-dressed, seemingly kind, elderly man really did turn out to be my grandfather or at least not a complete nut case. _I wonder if he likes to fish?_ _Or if he could help with repairs around the house? That board on the back porch is nearly rotted out and Jason has been 'meanin' to fix it' for six months. Plus, I told Gran I'd paint the porch this weekend. Maybe he could help. _I thought with a slight smile.

"Sookie, who's here?" I heard Gran say as she walked into the hall way with a spatula in her hand. She let out an audible gasp as her eyes glanced up and down the man and the spatula fell to the floor. I watched her as she quickly composed herself and forced a smile on her face before picking the spatula up and wiping it on her apron.

"So, who is this?" She asked with a hint of forced casualness, as she cautious moved towards us.

"Are we going to play coy, Adele, or should we just cut to the chase?" The man asked as I pulled myself out of his embrace and stepped toward Gran. She strategically placed herself between the man and I, keeping eye contact with him the whole time. She almost looked fierce, well as fierce as a 70 plus year old woman in a house dress and slippers can look. Her stance reminded me of a wolf protecting her young.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine, Naill. What do you want?" She said bluntly. In another part of my mind I thought that this was the first time I ever saw Gran not have impeccable manners. She hadn't even offered the man a sweet tea! But, I digress.

"Just to talk, Adele. Just to talk." He said calmly and gave her a heart-stopping smile. If the goal was to help relax her, it didn't work. At all.

"Then talk." She snapped and backed me closer to the wall. I was very confused and more than a little annoyed at Gran's manners.

"Gran?! Do you know this man? I met him yesterday…I…Somethings happened and he's here to explain how I…Do you know him?" I stuttered and furrowed my brow. This was almost more than I could take. If Gran knew him, then he must be telling the true. Which also meant that Gran had been keeping things from me. Important things. Gran had taken care of since I was a child. She had been my rock, my anchor, after my parents died. I suddenly felt lost, like my anchor had been cut and I was adrift at sea. Gran had known this whole time. Did she know the truth about my telepathy and she hadn't told me? If so, she had lied by omission. Gran had deceived me. The realization dawned on me and I felt betrayed. My eyes started to well slightly and the ma…fair…my grand…whatever..Naill seemed to sense my emotional distress.

"Perhaps we could all have a seat. I smell breakfast cooking." He said cheerfully. Gran gave him a curt nod and motioned him towards the kitchen. For a moment I thought she was going to bolt with me through the door when he turned his back, but instead she pressed her hand reassuringly on my shoulder and motioned me forward. I pulled away and narrowed my eyes at her. She had lied. I saw the pain flit across her face before it turned stoic. She gave me a hard look and walked past me into the kitchen. I'd seen that look a hundred times. I was being warned. About what, I had no idea, but that looked made me all kinds of uneasy.

Twenty minutes later, after the most strained awkward breakfast I had ever had, I began to clear the dishes while Gran and Naill continued their silent staring match. Even the birds seemed afraid to make a sound. The only sounds were of me scraping the dishes and the faucet running. Finally, Gran cracked and let out a loud sigh and all the strength seemed to drain from her fragile frame.

"Fine. I can't hide her from you now. And we both know I'm not strong enough to fight you. What do you want with her?" Gran said staring down at the table. She put her hands flat on the top and pressed her finger tips against the wood. I had never seen her look so resigned.

"Only to tell her the truth and let _her_ chose." He said with an air of authority. I slowly sat back down and eyed them both speculatively.

Gran cast me a wary glance and brushed some hair out of my face. She looked at me with pleading eyes, imploring me to understand. "Sookie, I want you to know that I did it all for you. No matter what you hear, know that I only did what I thought I had to, to keep you safe." And with that she turned a pointed glare to Naill and waved her hand for him to continue. I sat on the edge of my seat and nervously bounced my knee beneath the table. Under normal circumstances Gran would have asked me if I had a hummingbird in my pocket, but this wasn't normal circumstances. I was pretty sure that whatever he had to say it was going to change things for me in more ways than I could imagine.

"She knows nothing?" Naill asked with an arched eyebrow. Gran shook her head.

"Sookie, I have a lot to tell you and you will probably have many questions, so please let me finish before you ask." He said giving me a stern, but kind look. I nodded. I could feel the butterflies building in my stomach. "Many centuries ago I had two sons with a human woman, Fintan and Dermot. I loved them as much as my full fae children, but the other fairies treated them as outsiders and they were never fully accepted into our realm. They both wonder between this realm and ours trying to find their place. Fifty years ago Fintan met your grandmother and they fell in love…"

"You mean, you sent your son to seduce me and I fell in love." Gran interrupted indignantly.

"Adele, you know that Fintan loved you too, if not after a time. Yes, he was sent by my orders, but once he had you he wanted nothing more than to keep you forever. His dying wish was that you would forgive him his transgression." He said this almost solemnly while looking at the grains in the table. Gran let out a delicate snort, but did not comment further.

"Mitchel Stackhouse, the man you know as your grandfather, could not produce children of his own, so was obliged to overlook their relationship. I do not believe he ever knew for sure, but I am certain that he suspected something was amiss. They had two children, your father and your aunt Linda. I meet your father once, on your parent's wedding day. Fintan allowed me to sit in the back. I keep track of your father as much as I could." With this he gave Gran a pointed look. She returned it with a smug smile. "Fintan died …in an accident, shortly after your parents. We were under the impression that you and your brother had perished in the flood as well, until recently. We have tried to find you. You have been…well hidden." He shot another pointed glare at Gran. Her smile looked even smugger. "We have missed much time together and I hope to make up for some of what we lost." He said as he leaned over a gentle placed his hand on mine. The affection on his face was clear. I had never really known my grandfather and, besides Jason and Gran, I didn't have much family to speak of. Aunt Linda had passed and my cousin Hadley had been gone for years. The idea of a grandfather was rather appealing. I gently turned my palm and squeezed his hand. He face was absolutely beaming. If fact, it was almost as if he was glowing.

"But that's not the only reason you're here." Gran spat at him. I turned to look at her and she was livid. The anger was rolling off of her in waves. She was glaring at our adjoined hands as if they deeply offended her and I slowly pulled my hand away. "She'll have a choice, Naill!!! A choice! I won't let you use her. She could have a normal human life! She could live away from that world. That's why I hide her. To save her from _YOU _and the rest of em' that see her for nothing more than her bloodline!" She growled through clenched teeth.

"I merely wished to meet my granddaughter, Adele. I assure you my motives are pure." She gave him an apprising look, but I could see the anger draining. "And besides, we both know that you made your own choices. We also both know she's not human, not enough to live a normal life anymore. I can protect her, Adele, in ways that you and Fintan never could. Your powers have grown weaker and soon you will not even be able to maintain the wards on this house. It is only a matter of time before someone else finds her. Someone less noble than myself." He said evenly. At this Gran look almost ashen. All the fight in her dissipated and she went back to examining her hands. She nodded solemnly.

"Yes, I know you are the better of the evils, Naill, and that you could keep her safe." She paused and looked up at him. "But nothing comes free. Especially, from the fae." We sat in silence for several minutes, each of us lost in our own thought. _I wasn't _human_ enough? What does that mean? Protection from what? _But I had a more pressing question. One that I had been wondering for years and finally, _finally, _I might have the answer.

"So, is that where my telepathy comes from? From the fairies?" I asked. Two pairs of shocked eyes stared at me. Gran knew about my little disability, but we never _ever_ acknowledged it out loud. I think it made Gran a little uncomfortable to think about it, but if we were having open discussions about her affair with a fairy, talking about my 'gift' seemed fair game.

"She's telepathic? The gift has been passed on?" Naill asked Gran as if I wasn't in the room. This annoyed me slightly. Gran nodded and Naill looked me over again as if he were seeing me in a new light. "We thought it had died with Brigid." The pain in his voice when he said the name was evident. Gran shared his expression of sorrow and I saw a tear slide down her cheek.

"No, she has the gift and the spark is strong in her, too. That is why we kept her hidden." We slipped back into a strained silence for a couple of minutes. Gran and Naill both had distant looks and I could tell they were lost in memories of a time long ago. _Spark? Brigid? What?!_

"Whose Brigid?" I asked timidly. Almost afraid to break the solemn silence that had fallen over us.

Gran shook her head to clear it and wiped away the remaining tears. She met my eyes and took a long ragged breath. "My mother. She was a princess of the fae, the only child of their king and the last of the royal line of Dornon. She had the gifts of knowledge: telepathy and foresight. Only the Dornon line bore these gifts. When her father died, he left no male heir, and there were several rivals for the throne." She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She looked up and met Naill's eyes. "Her cousin Liam, Naill's brother, was among them. He was the top candidate for the royal line of Brigant. She 'saw' his plan. He was going to capture her, claim her as his own, and wage a war using her gifts to dispose of his rivals. Mother left the fae realm and vowed never to return. She took a human husband, my father, and used her magic to bind her life to his. Once they were bound, her body became human, but she retained her powers. They loved each other so much. She died when I was eighteen. Scarlet fever. My father followed within months." The tears had started to flow again. She looked from me to Naill and took another deep breath before continuing. "I married Mitchel shortly after and thought I was happy. I thought that I could live a normal human life. I bonded my life to his and became human just as my mother had done." She paused for a moment and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "But I didn't love him. I knew that when I married him. He was a good man and kind. I was fond of him, but I never loved him. Then I met Fintan and…" Her voice trailed off and I knew she couldn't continue. I had so many questions. Why was Fintan _sent?_ Why was _I_ hidden? The rest of this story would have to wait for another day. I tentatively reached over and rubbed her shoulder. She placed her hand on top of mine and leaned into them. I looked across the table and Naill slowly stood.

"Will you walk me to the door, great-granddaughter?" My grandfather said politely. I knew her was trying to give Gran some space to compose herself and for that I could love the man. I gently squeezed Gran's shoulder as I stood and quietly followed my grandfather out the front door. He walked across the porch and sat on the bench that over looked the side woods. I joined him and we sat silently for a few moments. He was studying the porch and the exterior of the house as if calculating. I followed his gaze. The house and porch definitely needed repainted and one of the shudders had a couple of broken slates. His evaluation didn't look like one of distaste, so I tried not to be offended by his critical eye.

"We have much to discuss concerning your magic, but now is not the time." He said quietly, but firmly. "I will come to you tomorrow so we can finish this discussion. You will need a tutor to help you control your magic. You are already stronger than I expected and the transformation is not yet complete." I stared at him speechless. _Transformation?_

"Grandfather, I have so many questions. I want to know…" He cut me off with a raised hand, but smiled gently.

"Tomorrow, child. Tomorrow. We have already discussed much today. Until then be careful to control any strong emotions. They may trigger your magic and until you learn restraint it might be…dangerous." He said in a voice that would hear no argument. I nodded and stood. He followed suit and leaned in and kissed my cheek. "I'm so happy to have finally met you, child. We have much to catch up on."

I smiled. I had a grandfather. "I'm happy to have met you, too. You'll be back tomorrow?" I asked. I know I probably sounded like a child, but I was almost afraid that this was too good to be true. Family. I had so little family.

He laughed. It sounded like peals of bells and echoed and danced through the trees. "Yes." But then his faced turned serious. "Speak of me to no one, not even your brother, until we see each other again. If you need to contact me before then call me at this number. I will come to you immediately." He handed me a plain white business card with nothing but a phone number on it. He hesitated for a moment then asked, "Granddaughter, I wish to give you something, a gift. Is there anything you require?"

"No. Not unless you are a handyman. I could use some help painting this porch." I said with a smile and gestured with my hand. There was no way this beautiful, elegantly dressed man would be caught dead painting a porch. I internally laughed at the visual. "Seriously though, you don't have to give me anything. I'll be happy to see you every now and then. I'll take all the family I can get."

He nodded his head thoughtfully. With that he stepped back, smiled, and disappeared with a resounding pop.

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Naill's PoV

I popped into the entrance of the Great Hall and motioned for my guards to follow. The light filtered down from the late morning sun onto the white marble floors. The high ceilings bore paintings of our ancient mythology. My scribe stepped forward from the hall his rich uniform was crisp and the bright green and blue contrasted greatly with the grey 'human style' suit I wore. "Your highness. You have much on your schedule today. Fearn of the clan of Donovan, has been awaiting your arrival in the audience chamber and Aaron of the royal line of Sewell has come to renegotiate the taxation proclamation. He says your royal claim is insufficient to justify a tax tariff on imports from the human world." I eyed the man with suspicion. He had been my scribe since I ascended the throne after the Dornon king had fallen. I still was not sure I trusted him. I waved off my scribe. "Tell them to call again. I have no time to hear appeals today." I strode into my study and stood by the window overlooking the gardens to the south. The summer roses were in bloom and I could smell their scent on the soft breeze.

I was not the strongest candidate for king, nor did I have the best claim to the throne. The only reason I ascended was because Brigid willed it so. Before she left our realm to live among the humans, she told me all the plans of my rivals, including my brother, on the condition that I would keep her destination secret and protect her descendents. That was why I sent Adele my son. The human man, Mitchel, could not keep her safe and she had weakened herself when she bound to him. That Fintan fell in love with her and she bore him children, was only an added blessing, at first. I never expected the spark to pass to children with so little fae blood. Then the girl child, Sookie, my granddaughter was born and Fintan suddenly closed them off from me. I suspected that she may carry the magic, but never knew for sure. Fintan only contacted me once to tell me that his son and the children had perished in a flood. My sources confirmed the parent's death, but no evidence of the children could be found either way. Until that day six years ago when one of my spies happened upon the magical ward, I had assumed that they were dead. The only reason my spy even informed me was because the ward had Fintan's essence and he thought I would like to see something created by my late son. As soon as I reached the edge, I knew I had been deceived. Fintan would not have created such a strong ward unless he had something very important to protect. At once I knew. The children had lived. The girl had the spark. She must be found.

The sounds of children in the courtyard below brought me out of my reveries. I watched as my great grandchildren splashed each other in the garden spring. _They must be protected. No one would be safe until an heir was secured. _I had much work to do. I needed to arrange for Sookie's tutor. _Perhaps someone that could serve as her guard, too._ I also needed to find a suitable form of employment to stop her from working at the menial job until we were able to secure her a mate and make the necessary marriage arrangements. _Ahh. Her mate. _That was crucial to my plan. I needed to create a list of potential suitors, as well. Fortunately, the girl was quite lovely and would be very powerful in her own right once her transformation was complete. Further, she had the spark _and_ the gifts of knowledge. Most would be willing to overlook the fact that she was partially human_. It probably would not hurt that the first born son would also be the rightful heir of the fae realm, _I thought smugly. A child of Brigant and Dornon. No one could contest it. My grandchild would be on the throne and the centuries of war and feuding would end. One son. Hades, a daughter would even be fine as long as we found her a suitable mate. Yes, Sookie was a good prospect. Beautiful, powerful, telepathic. None would turn down the opportunity to father the heir. Or at least none would turn it down and live. I could see why Fintan had hidden her from us. He knew she would have been claimed at birth and many would try to assassinate her before she came of age. But Adele's magic was weak and without Fintan's help she could no longer protect Sookie.

_Ahh. Adele._ I had always been fond of Adele. She was fiery and Fintan had said her seduction had been the most difficult assignment he had ever undertaken. The line of Dornon was not susceptible to influence, or what the vampires called 'glamour', by any creature. Their minds were their own and could not be manipulated by force. That, combined with the foresight and telepathy, was why they made such strong kings. They were also the most stubborn and loyal clan among the fae. Regardless of my affections for the Adele, or my promises to Brigid, she was too great a risk. Adele may not be strong anymore, but the girl trusted her and Adele's suspicions of me ran deep. _As long as they are together, Sookie would never fully rely on me and may not be willing to cooperate._ Yes, something needed to be done with Adele. This thought saddened me, but my people must come first. _My children must come first. _Peace among the royal lines could save hundreds of lives. It could end a war. Was the sacrifice of one worth the lives of many? The loss of Adele was unfortunate, but necessary. _I must attain the girl at all costs_, I sighed to myself.

Adele had raised a good point though, one which our granddaughter was sure to have noticed. The girl must have a choice or, at least, the appearance of one. She must come willing. She must have a mate of her choosing. Which Brigant males were without mates? There was Claude. He was the most direct descendent. I chuckled quietly to myself. Not sure how well that one would go over. Cyril was attractive and charming, but humans valued fidelity and that could be… a problem for Cyril. Finlay may be a promising prospect. His mate had recently passed into the Summerlands. Sookie could meet with them and decide. Perhaps this needed a little more finesse. I would talk to Claudine. She was to be the girl's fairy godmother, any information she could glean that would make the Sookie more amiable to their proposal would be beneficial. Sookie would decide among the choices…and just in case I would have a back-up plan…


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Okay, first thanks to all of you who have been tuning in and have reviewed. The support has been wonderful. Second, I know the last chapter was pretty serious and this one isn't much better, but it's really important for the plot. I promise we will get back to more happy-funny-fluffy stuff starting next chapter. Third, does anyone know the protocol for getting a beta or would be interested? I feel a little funny just emailing a random person (albeit a random person who has signed up to be a beta) and asking them to proof a story they may not even be interested in. Let me know. Thanks again. As always, Harris owns all.

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Ch 4.

Sookie's PoV

I sat on the porch for a long time after my great grandfather left, lost in thoughts of the conversation we had just had. I was trying to sort through my emotions. Joy at finding out that not only did I have a grandfather he wanted to spend time with me. Curiosity at what the future might hold and how 'my transformation' might change things. Suspicion that there were more pieces to this puzzle that Naill and Gran were holding back. Relief that there was an explanation for my 'gift.' But I also felt betrayed.

I had been an outcast my entire life. My schoolmate, teachers, friend's parents, hell, even my own parents had treated me like a leper, sick, broken. To be five years old and know that your mother is truly afraid of you is damaging. Of course, she never said it out loud. Very few people are willing to dignify their darkest thoughts by speaking them, but I knew. I knew that my classmates thought I was intimidating and they would lash out at me to protect themselves and fit in. I knew that my teacher thought I was a freak and hoped that I would eventually get feed up with the teasing and drop out, so they wouldn't have to deal with me. I knew that my parent's friends would internally cringe when they found out their children were hanging out with 'Crazy Sookie' and planned to chastise them as soon as I left. I also knew that no one could understand how someone as handsome as my father or charming as my brother could be related to the likes of me. I always felt alone. Isolated. Like nobody really got it.

Not that I was a Debbie Downer about it. I realized that I had people who cared about me. I can't tell you how many fights Jason got in when someone got too mean or tried to turn things into something more than name-calling. Of course, he never told me about those times. I 'heard' it from other people. Jason and I were never big on the heart-to-hearts and we fought like cats and dogs, but when push came to shove I knew he was there for me. My friend Tara had demons of her own and thought that she had no room to judge since her momma was a drunk. Although he's one of the kindest and sweetest people I ever met, JB was too dumb to really notice or care about my disability. Good thing that boy is so good looking. But even though they accepted me, my friends never _got_ me. The only person that seemed to truly understand was Gran. She was the one that told my teacher to sod off when they tried to put me in special education (Her phrasing was much more polite). She was the one that held me while I cried after someone spray painted _freak_ across my locker in high school. She was the one that sat with me on prom night when nobody asked me. She was the one that understood.

_But_ she also was the one who knew _everything_ and _never_ told me the truth. Not that people would have treated me better if I knew where my telepathy came from ('_Oh, it's because I'm part fairy. _Yeah, I'm sure that would have made me look _way_ less crazy). But _I_ would have known I wasn't a freak of nature. I wasn't completely isolated. That there were people (okay, fairies) out there (wherever the fae realm was) that not only didn't think I was crazy, but thought my telepathy was a _GIFT!_ I know Gran said she kept me hidden for my own good, whatever that means, but she could have at least told _me_ the truth. If anything I am really good at keeping secrets. It should have been my decision to make. Yeah, I felt betrayed, but I also saw broken Gran had looked after we had spoken with Naill. These things weren't easy for her to talk about, but I needed answers. I needed to know _why. _I had so many questions that she was the key to, but I realized I needed to give her time.

I heard the front door open and felt the swing adjust as Gran sat beside me. From the corner of my eye I could tell she had washed her face, but her eyes were still red and swollen from crying. "Can you bring me to my car?" I asked trying very hard to keep the edge out of my voice. Time. She needed time. She needed space. I could give her that. I could be patient. This was Gran, she kept it secret for a good reason, right? Once she calmed down she would explain.

"Where's your car, dear?" Gran asked in a strangled voice. She was studying her finger nails intently.

"The mall parking lot in Monroe. I teleported to work yesterday." I said casually. Gran gasp slightly but quickly regained her composure and nodded.

"I see. Naill's right, your powers will be strong. Let me grab my keys." With that she stood and went back into the house.

It was a long silent ride to Monroe. We had the radio on at first, but it only seemed to add to the already intense atmosphere, so after a while I shut it off. I fidgeted with the seam of my work shorts as we pulled into the mall parking lot. I had to work at two, so I needed to hustle if I was going to make it on time, with my car anyway. I reached for the door handle when Gran pulled up to my car. "See you later Gran." I said and turned to leave.

"Sookie…wait." She put a gentle hand on my arm, but I kept my eyes fixed on the window. Now that it came down to it, I wasn't sure I was ready to talk to her about this. "Honey, one day I'll tell you everything. I know you're mad right now and you have every right to be, but I want you to know something about the fae." I turned to look at Gran, but she hesitated. "Sookie, things are not always as them seem. Naill is powerful and even a good man, in his own way. He can protect you and teach you how to use your power, but nothing is free sweetheart. Nothing. Just remember that." By the time she got to the end her voice was almost a whisper and I could see that her hands were shaking. I waited for her to continue, elaborate, but she didn't and the silence between us grew. I looked into her eyes to see what was hidden there, but they were lifeless, like she was completely defeated. I dropped my shield and reached for her mind, but came up against a fog of emotions. Despair, anger, but mostly regret. I impulsively reached over and hugged her. I don't know why I did it, but for some reason it felt desperately like I needed to. I needed to comfort her. I needed her to know that even though I was angry and didn't understand why she had lied to me, that I loved her. I kissed her forehead as I reached for the door. "I can't think about that right now.We'll talk about it tomorrow. I love you, Sookie." She said with a watery smile.

"I love you too, Gran." I squeezed her hand once last time before sliding out of the car. I turned to watch her drive away. I chuckled to myself as I thought how she sounded. _I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow. Just like Scarlett. Yeah, we'd talk about it tomorrow_. I thought as a smiled played at the corners of my lips.

That was the last time I saw Gran alive.

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**One-week later**

"Hey, Sook. Did you get the house deed from the lawyer?" Jason called from the kitchen. I was in Gran's bedroom boxing her clothes. They smelled of vanilla and mint with a slight hint of cinnamon. It had been a week since Gran had passed. One of the hardest weeks of my life. In a way, I think that it was worse than when my parents died. I was so young then that I didn't really understand the permanence of death, that I would never see them again. I understood all too well now. Gran was gone. Forever. I swallowed hard to choke back the tears. _Gran would be disappointed in all the blubbering you're doing, _I chided myself. I had been crying pretty much nonstop for the past week.

After I watched Gran drive off, I headed off to work. I had been mindlessly waiting tables for about an hour when Jason came in the door. The look on his face was one of complete anguish. I had only seen that look once, on my Gran's face when she told us about my parent. That look was one of utter and complete despair. That was the look of a person who had just lost someone that they loved. I read Jason's mind before he made it to me. Fortunately, he was close enough that he was able to catch me before I collapsed onto the ground. I heard the muffled gasps of the bar patrons, but I didn't care at that moment. Like with Gran, Jason and I never discussed my disability out loud, but in that moment, when words were impossible for both of us, he let the images of what happen flow to me knowing I would see them. Him getting a phone call from the Renard Parish PD, anxiety. Him driving to the accident site, fear. Skid marks and Gran's car twisted around a telephone pole, panic. Gran's broken body being lifted into the back of an ambulance as the paramedic wrote down the time of death, grief. Him driving to Merlotte's to tell me that the women who had raised us had died, despair. Him seeing me collapse on the floor moments before, determination. Without a word he cradled me in his arms, nodded to Sam, and walked out the door. Jason was trying to be strong, to be the man of the family. He was trying to comfort me and protect us both from prying eyes. I started to sob. I had never loved my brother more than I did at that moment.

When we reached the house he carried me in and sat me on the sofa, then walked into the kitchen and took the phone off the hook. Jason returned to the living-room and perched himself at the other end of the couch. We sat together in silence for what seemed like hours, both afraid to say the words out loud knowing that once spoken they had to be true. After a while, Jason shifted his gaze from the mantle that held our high school pictures to me. He slowly moved from his place on the couch and knelled in front of me putting his hands on my knees. "Gran's died, Sook. It's just you and me now." They were the first words he had spoken since he walked into the bar. Jason's voice was full of emotion as his strength gave out and the tears began to spill down his cheeks. My own tears came in force again. I hugged him to me with crushing force. "Jason.." was all I could manage. Gran was gone. The words had been said making it real. We sat together and cried ourselves to sleep.

Naill had come the following morning at 8:00 am. Jason was still asleep on the couch. He eyed Jason speculatively as I explained what had happened to Gran. My grandfather gave me a sympathetic hug and told me that if I needed anything to let him know. He also told me my lessons could wait a few more days, but he would send my tutor within the next week and to be _very _careful with my magic until then. He again asked me not to mention him to Jason. I had lots of questions, but was really too overwhelmed at that point to really press the issue. I was tired emotionally and physically, so I just nodded.

"Hey, sis?" Jason called gently. I shook my head bringing myself back to the present and walked into the kitchen. He sat at the table surrounded by stacks of paper with a cup of coffee and a grim look. We had been clearing out and sorting Gran's stuff for days.

"Sorry, Jason. Yeah, I have the deed. Everything's been transferred to my name. Oh.. the lawyer also said that you should get the check from her savings in the next two weeks." Gran had given me almost everything, the house, the furniture, her checking account. The only thing she had left Jason was about five thousand dollars from her savings account. I thought he would pitch a fit about that, but surprisingly he was taking it well. Then again he already had a house, and I'm pretty sure that his furniture was in better shape than Gran's…I mean mine. "Hey, I have to head to work. Will you take the rest of the bags to Goodwill?" He nodded absently as he shifted through the papers. Neither one of us were very good at this type of stuff, but fortunately Gran had her paper work pretty organized and her life insurance covered almost all the expenses. I grabbed my purse and gently squeezed Jason's shoulder when I walked past him toward the door. He squeezed my hand back and gave me a small smile. As I headed down the back steps I noticed that the broken plank we'd been asking Jason to repair was fixed, but I couldn't remember him doing it. As I inspected it closer, it looked like he had re-stained the porch too. I smiled to myself, _who was this man and what had he done with my brother._ I hoped that perhaps this sudden streak of handiness would be permanent, but I wasn't going to hold my breath. I made a mental note to thank him later.

Today would be my first day back a Merlotte's. Sam had told me to take as much time as I needed, but now that I had to pay all the bills and property taxes work wasn't optional. The driveway wasn't going to re-gravel itself. I parked in the employee lot and headed into the office to put up my purse. I nodded to Sam who was sitting at his desk before heading out to the door. He sniffed the air and shot me a confused look. I knew if I lingered he would hug me and ask if I was okay… which would make me cry. I _really_ didn't want to cry anymore, so I deliberately avoided his gaze, plastered a smile on my face, and hurried out to the floor. I was scheduled to work from three to ten the next three nights. I knew Sam had intentionally given me the spilt shift and I was thankful. Dawn and Arlene didn't even seem too put out by it. Arlene pulled me aside and filled me in on the gossip I had missed. Apparently, a vampire had moved to Bon Temp and came into the bar the night before. His name was Bill. Yeah, I know _Bill. _I chuckled a little. Arlene said he had come in looked around and then left. She said it looked like he was looking for someone, but whoever he wanted wasn't there. I had never met a vampire before and I was secretly hoping that he might come back, so I could get a glimpse of the mysterious vampire, _Bill_ (chuckle). The night went pretty smooth. We were busy enough to keep my mind off of things, but not so busy I felt overwhelmed. I was nice and I felt good.

Jason came in and joined Hoyt and Rene for a beer around nine. Hoyt gave me a big hug and kiss on the forehead when he saw me. He was thinking of the time that Gran had taken care of him when he had fallen through the ice on the pond behind my parent's house in Jr. High. He and Jason knew they weren't allowed on the ice, it rarely got thick enough to skate on down here, but they went skating anyway. Hoyt had been really shaken up after Jason pulled him out, but Gran had wrapped him in blankets, gave him food and hot chocolate, and dried his clothes, so his mom wouldn't find out. Hoyt had loved her for it. It made me smile.

I was still smiling to myself when I heard the door open and a few seconds later a hush fall over the bar. I turned around and saw a man with dark brown hair and darker brown eyes survey the room and take a seat in my section. He was taller than me, but not particularly tall, and well built. He had a slight glow about him. _This must be the infamous vampire Bill_, I thought to myself smiling. I dropped off a pitcher of Shiner Boch to Jason before making my way to the vampire's table.

"Hello, my name is Sookie. What can I get for you tonight?" I said with my best smile. He looked up at me, then took a deep breath as if to speak, but instead stopped and stared at me intently. His nostrils flared and his eyes dilated. His tongue slipped out and quickly licked his lips. He looked dazed and hungry. I slowly took a step back.

"What are you?" He asked in a deep, cool, but demanding voice. His eyes were slightly glazed over and he seemed to unintentionally be leaning toward me. I shook my head at him and took another step back. I was about to get attacked by a vampire. I knew this instinctually, though I didn't know how. Without knowing exactly what I was doing I felt my mind push up a barrier. Whatever I did made my ears suddenly feel very warm and the skin on the palms of my hands tingle. A second later the air in the room seemed to shift ever so slightly. Vampire Bill shook his head as he came out of whatever trance he had just been in. He sniffed the air confused and stared at me intently. "What are you?" He asked again clearly intrigued.

I felt my nervous smile spread across my face. "A barmaid."


	5. Chapter 5

_Previously…_

_He sniffed the air confused and stared at me intently. "What are you?" He asked again clearly intrigued. _

_I felt my nervous smile spread across my face. "A barmaid."_

Ch 5.

Sookie's PoV

Vampire Bill gave me an incredulous (Word of the Day: April 15th) look, but only nodded. _Okay, so I was a part fairy, telepathic, barmaid, but a barmaid all the same. _I lowered my shield and reached for his mind. It sounded like running water. I could tell there were thoughts, but they were garbled. The ambience was one of curiosity and determination. I caught a couple of words here and there: _…Queen's…lovely…unique…secured…asset. _I also caught that in general these thoughts revolved around me, but I wasn't sure what to make of them. I suddenly realized that I had been staring at him for longer than was really appropriate and shifted nervously. "So, I think Sam got some Trueblood at the store today. I'm not sure what type. Would you like one?"

He nodded still eyeing me carefully. I turned and high tailed it to the bar as fast as I could. I had wanted to meet a Vamp ever since they came out of the coffin, but after Vampire Bill's reaction I was less than enthusiastic about being so close to one. "Trueblood, Sam." I said as I approached the bar. He sniffed the air and looked confused. Sam gave me a questioning look as if he wanted to ask something, but instead pulled out a Trueblood and stuck it in the microwave. After shaking it, he handed it me. As I went to pull away Sam grabbed me hand.

"Sookie, I…Why don't you head out after this? It's already ten till." Sam paused and squeezed my hand before letting go. He shot a look over my shoulder at the vampire before adding. "Be careful, cher." That was odd. I smiled at him and turned and headed back to the vampire's booth. Bill was staring at me intently. I felt something begin to pull at the corners of my mind. It felt cloudy and calming. It made want to trust the vampire, to more than trust him, to be _with_ the vampire. It was telling me that he would make me whole, that I needed him, that I could love him. I stopped in front of his booth and shook my head to clear it before setting his blood on the table. He looked directly into my eyes.

"Sookie," Bill said in a low, calm voice that was almost hypnotic, "Gather your things and meet me in the parking lot. We will be going to my house." Did he just command me to meet him in the parking lot!? And go to his house!? I was not going to a man's house that I didn't know. I was a lady. What would Gran say? I felt the tug on my mind. It was telling me I _wanted _to go. No, I _needed_ to go. Wait. I heard about this before. Was he trying to glamour me? That was just _rude_. I was an independent woman. No one tell me what to do! And no onemanipulates me into doing what they want. I was livid, but fought to gain my composure.

"I actually am off for the rest of the evening, but I'll be heading home. Thank you so much for the offer, but I'll have to decline. Dawn will be your server for the rest of the night." I tried (but failed miserably) to keep my voice cheery and professional. I turned to leave, but he grabbed my wrist. I looked at my wrist and then back at him. _Oh no he did not! _His gaze was even more focused (if that were possible).

"You will get your things and join me in the parking lot." He said in a cold steady voice, but I detected an edge to it. I felt the tugging grow stronger. It was pushing on my brain trying to get me to comply.

Without thinking I used my mind and pushed back at him with all the force I could muster. I felt my hands tingle and the warmth rush through my ears. My mind shot into his and for a brief second I could see his thoughts as clear as day. He was sent to find me and do whatever necessary to make me subservient to him. Whoever he was working for wanted to use my telepathy. I saw exactly what he had in mind to make me subservient. He was going to try to seduce me. He was planning on gaining my trust, wooing me, and making me fall in love with him, so I would do whatever he wanted willing. He thought this would be the easiest. And if that didn't work he was going to glamour me into believing that I was in love with him. If all else failed he simply planned to kidnap me, but he truly hoped it wouldn't come to that. He wasn't happy with this assignment. He thought little of humans and had no desire to have me as his companion. Although, he was pleased that I was at least attractive and that my blood smelled sweet. He thought that maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he originally anticipated.

His eyes widened in shock and Bill dropped my hand. "What _are_ you?"

"That's none of your concern, vampire." I heard a deep velvety voice say quietly behind me. The vampire's eyes shot behind my shoulder and a look of fear crossed his face before it hardened into an emotionless mask. I turned to find Naill standing about a foot behind me. As always, he looked stunning in his well tailored light brown suit with a cream and lavender tie. He leaned in and gently kissed my cheek. "Child," he said quietly before turning back to Bill. I tried not to bristle at being called _child._ "I believe you are William Compton the queen's agent?" Bill nodded slightly, so Naill continued. "Let us speak outside." He said pleasantly and motioned toward the door. Bill stood and pulled out his wallet to throw some bills on the table. My grandfather placed his hand on the small of my back and gently guided me to the door. I caught a glimpse of Sam out of the corner of my eye and his mouth was open 'catching flies' as Gran would have said. He made as if to follow, but I shook my head at him. Whatever conversation was about to happen I was pretty sure I didn't want to have to explain it to Sam. I quickly surveyed the room to see how much of a commotion we were causing, and was surprised to see that no one but Sam, Tray Dawson, and Calvin Norris even seemed to notice us. In fact, it almost looked as if people _couldn't _look at us. Odd. As we walked toward the front doors but I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. _A vampire, a telepath, and a fairy walk out of a bar…._

We exited and walked toward a large black Cadillac in the side lot. Bill stopped behind it and turned to face us. "What were your intentions with this woman?" Naill asked bluntly. Bill shifted uncomfortable, but met Naill's eyes.

"I recently move back to Bon Temp to take up residence in my family's ancestral home. The girl was merely my waitress. My intentions were innocent. I was actually hoping she might allow me to call on her sometime." He lied smoothly and a slight smile formed on his face. I must say that I was somewhat impressed. If hadn't heard his thoughts earlier, I would have believed him and probably been flattered. It wasn't exactly like he was hard to look at.

'_Is this true, Child?'_ At that moment I was glad I had years of practice masking my expressions. Naill was thinking at me. Up until this point I hadn't really been able to hear my grandfather's thoughts very well. When we first met his thoughts were a gently hum, but nothing coherent. I noticed when we spoke after Gran's death that his mind was clearer than he had been before, I could pick up emotion, but not words. I believed that the change had something to do with my 'transformation', whatever that was. But right now he was directing thoughts at me and I could hear him loud and clear. He kept his eyes on the vampire, not giving anything away, but he was clearly waiting for a response from me. It occurred to me how dangerous this little revelation could be. If _anyone_ knew I could read vampire minds I could be in trouble. I didn't know a lot about vampires, but from what I gathered they were very private and very deadly. In other words, I doubted they would take kindly to having their minds read by a part fae, telepathic, barmaid from Bon Temp. It also meant that Naill would know I could read fairies, which could be just as dangerous. If I acknowledged my grandfather's silent question it meant that I would have to trust him. This was one heck of a pickle. It was my turn to shift uncomfortably as I looked at my grandfather appraisingly. Should I trust him? It wasn't like I had a lot of people in my life I could depend on. Gran had said Naill was powerful. She said he could protect me. I shifted my gaze to the vampire. He was sent to make me yield. To use and manipulate me. There were forces out there that I couldn't even begin to imagine. Forces that, apparently, knew about me and would try to use me if they could. This is what Gran was protecting me from and now Gran was gone. The realization hit me like a sucker punch. I was naïve and vulnerable and alone (not something easy for my pride to choke down). I couldn't do this on my own. I needed all the protection I could get. I had to trust Naill. I shook my head slightly to answer his question. The movement was subtle, but I know Naill picked up on it and I couldn't tell for sure, but I thing that Bill might of too. The corners of Naill mouth twitched up and his eyes were practically twinkling. He looked proud. The silence had grown long and somewhat awkward (not that you expected it to be calm and comforting in this particular situation).

Bill made a noise as if to speak again. Naill's face quickly changed venomous as he turned to face Bill. Whatever Bill was going to say, the words died on his lips and he contritely looked at the ground. _Damn_. Apparently, Naill was powerful. He just put a vampire in his place with nothing but a look. I quickly filed that information away for contemplation later.

"Vampire, tell her majesty that this child is under the protection of my kingdom and that any attempt on her will be considered at act of war. You will deliver this message immediately and in person. Am I clear?" Naill arched an eyebrow at vampire Bill. Bill appeared completely dumbfounded, but nodded. _An act of war? _"And vampire?" Naill said as Bill turned to go. His voice was dark and sinister. His eyes looked nearly black and I swear he was glowing ever so slightly. Bill turned back to him cautiously. "You will cease any and all future contact with this child or you will personally answer to _me_." This last word was said with so much threat that it sent chills down my spine. Although, his face was a mask, the fear was apparent in Bill's eyes. At that moment my grandfather was truly terrifying. Without a word Bill bowed to Naill then got in his car and left. We watched him drive until his tail lights were lost behind a bend in the road.

I turned to face my grandfather. All traces of the menacing fairy were gone and he once again looked liked a kindly elderly gentleman. He flashed me a charming smile. It was disconcerting. "So, my child is there something you wish to tell me?"

I sighed. I had made my bed and now it was time to face that facts and lie in it. "He was sent by someone who wants me for my telepathy. He was going to try to seduce me and if that didn't work he was going to glamour or kidnap me. He tried to glamour me back in the bar. I felt him pulling at my mind." My grandfather looked at me with obvious pleasure and he nodded. "I couldn't really read him at first. It was all garbled, but he grabbed my wrist when he tried to glamour me." The sinister look briefly flashed across Naill's face, so I quickly continued. "When he pushed at my mind, I pushed back as hard as I could. That's when I saw…his intentions." I swallowed hard. "I think touching him and pushing at his mind made my 'reception' better."

Naill nodded thoughtfully. "I see. And I take it you were able to mask your scent?" Masked my scent? Is that what I did earlier after Bill got all glazed over? Must be. I nodded. The look of pride and love on my grandfather's face nearly made me blush. A wide smile spread across his face. "Well done, Child!" I think he caught my questioning look because her explained further. "Vampires are intoxicated by the scent of fairies. They crave it and have difficulty controlling themselves in our presence. Being able to suppress your scent is a rare and coveted gift among our kind that only occurs in the Brigant bloodline. It is very useful when negotiations with the vampires are necessary." He paused thoughtful for a second before continuing. "I see that you will be more powerful than we ever hoped once the transformation in complete. Your tutor will be most pleased." Well, alright then.

"Grandfather, what exactly do you mean when you talk about my 'transformation'?" I asked trying to mask the hint of annoyance I was feeling. There was still so much I didn't know and Naill speaking in cryptic riddles all the time was getting old fast.

He looked at me carefully. "Your fairy powers were suppressed until you were touched by a full blooded fae. Your cousin, Claudine, accidently unbound you when she touched you at the mall that day in Monroe." The costumer service clerk at Dillard's? Well, I guess that made sense. That was right before I had popped to Merlotte's and I have to admit I felt some sort of connection with her. I nodded, so he continued. "They will develop over time, but once your transformation is complete you will in essence be just as powerful as any full fairy. It will not come to you as naturally as a full fairy and it will take you more concentration to direct them, which if why you require a tutor, but over time you should be able to control yourself effectively."

"What powers will I have?" I asked warily. Being a telepath was enough, I wasn't sure if I wanted anything else. He again gave me that cautious look and for a minute I thought he wasn't going to answer.

"Well, teleportation, obviously, stronger telepathic abilities, suppressed scent, but other than that I do not really know. Abilities are passed through bloodline and are stronger in the royal families. You are of both the Dornon and Brigant royal bloodlines. Very few fairies of the Dornon line are left and you are the last direct descendent. We are not exactly sure what to expect from you." With that, Naill pulled his pocket watch out of his vest and nodded to himself.

"So my Dear, would you like to meet your tutor? He should at your house shortly. We have already delayed your training longer than is wise. You will be working with him intensely for the next few months. Claudine will be stopping by on her way home from work as well." From his tone it was obvious he didn't want to discuss this any further. I was starting to notice a pattern in my conversations with Naill. I always ended up with more questions than answers.

I nodded and started to move past him. "I just need to grab my purse." My grandfather waved for me to continue and I headed around to the front door of Merlotte's. Sam literally sighed with relief when I walked in. I gave him a look that clearly said 'later' and darted past the bar and down the hall to grab my purse from the office and toss my apron in the bin. I quickly exited out the back door and found my grandfather standing beside my car. I wondered where his car was for a brief moment. _How did he… Ohh..right. Fairies. He probably 'popped' in_. Then I realized that meant he would be riding with me and I felt a ting of embarrassment. My car wasn't the best one in the world, but it was able to get me from point A to point B (Albeit no faster than 55 mile an hour, but eventually it would get me there). I had never been ashamed of it before, but seeing my grandfather in his well tailored suit standing next to it, I suddenly felt like the poor cousin. As I sheepishly approached him he didn't seem to notice my low car self-esteem. He smiled at me amenably and folded himself in the passenger side. I silently said a prayer of thanks that I had cleaned it out yesterday. We rode in a slightly strained silence to my house. Well, at least it was strained on my end. Naill seemed completely at ease. I parked around back under the security light.

I unlocked the door and ushered him through the kitchen into the livingroom. As I walked over the threshold I noticed that the floorboard going from the kitchen to the hall wasn't loose anymore. _Man, Jason must be on a roll,_ I thought as I motioned for Naill to take a seat on the sofa. I was about to ask him if he would like something to drink, when I heard the bell ring. "That would be your tutor." Naill said pleasantly and rose with me to get the door. I smoothed out my shirt and brushed my finder through my hair. The way Naill was talking I was going to be spending a lot of time with this guy and I might as well make a good impression.

I put on my best smile and opened the door. I stood there in shock. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting my tutor to be like. I kinda pictured a professor type with glasses. An older guy. Warm and kindly. Wearing a suit jacket and corduroys. Maybe even someone like Naill. Sophisticated and charming, but radiated wisdom. What I was not expecting was the godlike creature that was standing before me. He was at least six feet tall with messy brown hair. He had a straight regal nose and a chiseled jaw that I suddenly had the desire to lick. _Down girl. _ His shoulders were broad and I could make out his well defined chest and abdomen through his dark green fitted shirt. He wore dark blue jeans that were snug, but hung low on his hips. I wanted to ask him to turn around so I could see how those jeans fit from the back, but I figured that would be inappropriate. _Pardon me, while I wipe the drool. _Thankfully he was turned to the side when I opened the door and didn't seem to notice my blatant ogling. From the slight chuckle I heard behind me, I was pretty sure that Naill had noticed though. I cleared my throat and Adonis himself turned to face me. He gave me a quick once over before he nodded at me in acknowledgement. His eyes were a deep green and had speck of gold. They sparkled like emeralds. _Oh, Dear God_. My knees were weak and I felt myself blush. _Manners, Sookie! Manners! Stop acting like a silly teenage girl and say something!_ I shook my head to clear it and stepped aside.

"Hello, won't you please come in." I said with my most welcoming smile and motioned him into the entryway. I was suddenly very aware that I was still in my work uniform and undoubtedly smelled like hamburgers and beer. _Great_.

Naill reached over and clasped both his hands around one of mine and squeezed it. He smirked and looked very amused. Tall, dark, and beautiful bowed low to Naill as he entered. "Sookie, I would like to introduce you to your tutor, Preston Pardloe." I stuck out my hand. Preston looked to Naill, who nodded, before he gently took my hand and pressed the back of it to his lips and then his forehead very formally. His lips were warm and soft, might I add. I wondered how they would feel against mine…_What? Where did that come from?_ I blushed again and practically bit my tongue to hold back a giggle. That's right, I almost giggled. At that moment I was one of _those_ girls. The kind that blush and giggle. I silently reprimanded myself. _He's your tutor. The only thing he's interested in is your magic. _ As if to confirm my suspicions I peeked at him through my lashes and saw that he was frowning at me slightly. Naill had started talking again and I forced myself to pay attention. "He will be assisting you in learning to control your magic and will be also acting as your guard as well."

"Guard? Why do I need a Guard?" I asked turning to Naill. I saw him hesitate and glance at Preston. Oh no. I am an independent woman. I may need a little bit of protection from the powers that be, but a guard? Absolutely not! I narrowed my eyes at my grandfather. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don't need someone looking after me. I appreciate you coming when that vampire, Bill, was trying to …get me, but a guard is unnecessary. I'm sure now that you warned them, I'll be fine."

"A vampire came after her?" Preston asked, the astonishment in his voice apparent, which would have been sweet except he was talking about me like I wasn't even in the room. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. It was the first time Preston had spoken. His voice was deep and rich. It reminded me of Tina purring. I tried not to be distracted and answered him making sure that both Preston and my grandfather were aware that I was there and fully able to speaking for myself.

"Yes, but I suppressed my scent and was able to read his intentions. Then Naill came and told him that I was under fairy protection and to take a hike, so everything should be fine now. A guard isn't necessary." Preston looked slightly taken aback and stared at me for a minute as if re-evaluating. His scrutiny made me slightly uncomfortable. I felt like a cow being inspected at a stock show.

"You can suppress your scent and read vampire minds…" He said then looked past me _again_ to Naill. "You're right, Highness, she will be powerful and her gifts are further along than I originally believed. Are you sure I should not be here to guard her full time? That is, if it is your wish." Preston said before bowing his head again in deference.

"I just said I _don't_ need a guard! And I'm standing right here." I fumed waving my hands in the air for effect. This man..fairy..whatever…maybe beautiful, but I wasn't going to be treated like a child. I could take care of myself, thank you very much. Preston didn't even acknowledge that I had spoken. Naill smiled at me indulgently. That made me even angrier.

"It's complicated, Child. Your position in the supernatural world is ….precarious. Let us sit and I will explain." _That's right you're gonna to explain, buddy_. _And child, again? What was I four?_ I nodded stifling my rising anger and trying to remember my manners. I showed them to the livingroom and motioned for them to sit.

"Would you like some sweet tea?" I asked like the sweet southern belle Gran had raised me to be. I was trying really hard to keep the edge out of my voice.

"That sounds lovely. Thank you. No lemon." Naill replied as he positioned himself on the couch. Preston eyed me with a warily then simply nodded before sitting on the chair. _Well isn't Mr. Beautiful a tidbit standoffish. _ I thought grumpily as I walked to the kitchen. _Kill'em with kindness. _That's what Gran always said. I had a sneaking suspicion that was going to be hard in this particular circumstance. The man..fairy…urg…whatever…had barely spoken a word to me was already grating on my nerves. Not the best of starts.

I stepped out of the kitchen a few minutes later with three glasses of sweet tea and some homemade oatmeal raisin cookies that Lafayette had brought over after the funereal. That boy may be flaming gay and wilder than a hellcat, but heavens to Betsey could he cook. As I walked down the hall I could hear hushed whisperes. I couldn't make out the words, but it appeared that Preston and my grandfather were having an argument. I lingered for a minute debating what to do and then lowered my shield. I know, I shouldn't eavesdrop, people deserve their privacy, blah, blah, blah. I couldn't help it. I really wanted to know and after all it was about _me_. I reached out with my mind and felt a quiet hum. I pushed slightly harder and was able to make out some emotion and pictures from one mind, who I was pretty sure was my grandfather. He was annoyed and determined, but I wasn't able to make much else out of him. I reached for the other mind. Silence. I pushed at the mind harder. Nothing. Completely and blissfully silent. I stood there for a long moment. It couldn't be. I had _never _had a mind be completely silent. Blurry, yes. Snarly, yes. Difficult, yes. But silent, NEVER. I pushed one more time.

Something mentally pushed back at me with so much force that I nearly dropped the tray I was holding. I felt like I had been punched in the brain. _What was that? _I thought, my mind still reeling and body not in much better shape. Realizing that I had probably been gone to long, I straightened myself, plastered my waitress smile on my face, and rounded the corner to the livingroom. The whispering ceased as soon as I entered the room. I carefully set the tray on the coffee table and laid a napkin out for each of them before placing their drinks. My grandfather smiled and picked up a cookie. I slyly shot Preston a questioning look. Obviously he had been the one to push me back, but did he realize what he'd done. He didn't meet my eyes, but a small smug smile played across his lips. Oh…he knew damn well what he had done. _What. A. Bastard. Well I guess the next couple of months are going to be just _peachy! I thought sourly. I knew I shouldn't but I couldn't help myself. I smiled sweetly at him and pushed at his mind as hard as I could. The smug smirk on his face vanished and he visibly flinched. His eyes grew wide and he looked over at me in shock. _That's right mister. Two can play at that game. _He opened his mouth to say something, but the doorbell rang. _Who could that be?_

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Author's note: Enjoy and remember reviews are like chocolates for writers. They make you feel good and everybody wants them.


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